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09/05/2001AIRPORT AUTHORITY MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER September 5, 2001 Present: Dennis Roper Chair Brenda Harris Nixon Board Member Gary Benjamin Board Member Ron Streicher Board Member Absent: Bob Lunt Board Member Also Present: John Carassas Assistant City Attorney William Morris Marine & Aviation Department Director Gordon Wills Airpark Operations Manager Gwen Legters Legislative Staff Assistant The Chair called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #2 – Minutes Approval As Chair Roper had not received an agenda pack, consensus was to move this item to the end of the meeting to allow him opportunity to read the minutes. At the conclusion of business, Member Nixon moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of August 1, 2001, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #3 - Tenant Report/FBO David King, FBO (Fixed Base Operator), reported no change from his June report on Airpark occupancy: 1) 27 T-hangars; 2) 40 shade hangars (plus J8, not owned by Airpark); 3) 49 hard-stands (43 rentals/6 school planes); 4) 32 grass-stands (23 rentals/9 school planes); and 5) 3 helipads (one closed). Mr. King expressed satisfaction with the new grounds maintenance company, and said painting and landscaping are nearing completion. The shade hangars are nearly finished. Mr. King reported an estimated 20- to 30-gallon fuel spill had occurred while a new employee was filling the main tank. The tank was left unattended during the two-hour filling process. It was discovered the fill nozzle lacks an automatic shutoff mechanism. City environmental management is investigating the spill. City staff is retraining airpark employees regarding safety procedures. New airpark training procedures will be instituted and repeated every 30 days. Questions were raised regarding status and prioritization of the hangar waiting list. It was indicated Airpark Operations Manager Gordon Wills keeps the list, which currently contains 35 names. Deposits have been paid for 20 hangars. ITEM #4 – Other Business In response to questions, Mr. Wills stated a hangar rent increase is expected with the next CPI (Consumer Price Index) increase, and the City would not have discretion regarding the increase. One member expressed concern with putting master plan funding on the backs of the customer, fearing rents will become cost prohibitive. It was indicated Vanderberg and Zephyrhills are not losing money by holding the line at $235 plus tax, in order to fill their anticipated new hangars quickly. Discussion ensued regarding timing for obtaining SWFWMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) approvals before using FDOT funds for corporate hangar construction. Prospective corporate tenants were discussed. While corporate hangar construction is not scheduled for this year, staff was urged to prepare to proceed immediately after SWFWMD approval is received. Staff was requested to alert the Airport Authority when the contract with PBS&J (Post, Buckley, Shuh and Jernigan, Inc.) is placed on the City Commission agenda. A question was raised, and general discussion ensued regarding the possibility of marking the new front entrance with an aviation-themed object more distinctive than a sign. A commemorative statue or some kind of unique aircraft were suggested. It was indicated the military would likely donante an old aircraft, but shipping and reassembly costs could be problematic and the amount of open space near the FBO biulding would need to be determined. Assistant City Attorney John Carassas noted that three-dimensional sign code issues would have to be addressed. In response to a question regarding the taxi lane radii discussed at the last meeting, Mr. Wills stated the filled-in corners are a temporary fix until the final repaving is done. Concern was expressed with airplanes cutting through the open space. Discussion ensued regarding the possibility of converting open space to single-engine tie downs. Mr. Wills reported the first shade hangars are to be started tomorrow, and will have their certificate of occupancy once the berm landscaping is finished. Discussion ensued regarding the issue of removing Ed Slattery's hangar from its current location. In response to Mr. Slattery's request, the City extended the deadline to October 31, 2001. It was indicated Mr. Slattery is willing to donate the hangar for use as the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) clubhouse. Concerns were expressed regarding suitability of the building for this use, and whether an appropriate location can be found on the airpark property. Marine & Aviation Department Director, William Morris, stated staff is studying the issue of relocating the building, giving consideration to Master Plan requirements, the building's size, and aesthetics. Mr. Morris left the meeting at 3:30 p.m. It was indicated the EAA needs hangar space for meetings and development of ongoing projects. It was questioned whether the EAA could be charged a special rental rate, given their purpose and history at the airpark. Mr. King suggested a meeting at the airpark to study this issue at length and draft a plan. He stated he would be willing to forego rent to find a suitable home for the EAA, in view of their value to the community's children. A majority of members favored this suggestion. ITEM #5 – Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for October 3, 2001. ITEM #6 – Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.